Run Game A Work in Progress

Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase talked about the progression of the Broncos’ run game.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- In last week’s game at New England, the run game carried the load of the offense with the team’s 48 carries the most in a game since the 2011 season.

Leading the way was Knowshon Moreno, whose 224 yards were third-most by a Broncos running back in the team’s history.

“It’s a shame we lost that game because that was one of the better performances I’ve seen by a running back in my short time in the NFL,” Offensive Coordinator Adam Gase said. “The guy ran so hard and just knowing that here we are trying to get him 15-20 carries a game – the guy goes for 37 carries and just fights every inch of the way. That takes a toll on a back and you sense that he was like just give me the ball I’ll figure out a way to put us in a position to win. I just wish that we could have given one more opportunity to where maybe we could have got in field goal range.”

With Moreno leaving the game with an ankle injury during overtime, the attention turned to the next three running backs on the depth chart who will be called upon to help lessen the load on Moreno.

Moreno is listed as probable for this Sunday, but regardless of his status, Gase said it’d be a goal to use the entire group of running backs to spread out the carries.

“At some point one of these three guys, these young guys, they have to step up,” Gase said. “We have to be able to not have (Moreno) go 37 carries a game. So one of these guys has to step up and hold on to the ball and do what they’re supposed to do and that’s a challenge to them. Somebody is going to step up.”

Montee Ball turned in his highest per-carry average in Sunday’s game at New England, yielding 5.7 yards per carry and finishing with 40 yards on seven attempts. He tied his career best with three catches, finishing with 17 yards. His reception total included a key 31-yard gain off a screen pass on third-and-20 in the second quarter that helped set up Denver’s third touchdown of the day.

It also included a catch that ended up resulting in a 16-yard loss after he fumbled and the ball was recovered by Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes.

“Hopefully, Montee decides, ‘Hey, it’s not going to happen anymore,’” Gase said. “We have to get that fixed – we’re working on it every day. What we’ve seen so far isn’t good enough. But nobody is walking through that door so we have to fix it and they have to do it during a game.”